Nitrate pollution is a critical environmental and public health issue, primarily caused by agricultural runoff from fertilizers that leach into groundwater and surface water sources. Elevated nitrate levels in drinking water have been linked to serious health risks, including "blue baby syndrome" in infants and increased cancer rates in adults. Beyond human health, nitrates fuel harmful algal blooms that deplete oxygen in aquatic ecosystems, killing fish, disrupting biodiversity, and creating dead zones in lakes and rivers. This pollution also damages soil quality, clogs water infrastructure, and incurs significant economic costs for water treatment and agricultural productivity.

BioS is a genetically engineered bacterial biosensor that provides a simple, visual indication of nitrate contamination in water. It harnesses the power of synthetic biology to make water quality monitoring passive, eco-friendly, and user-friendly. At the core of BioS is Caulobacter crescentus, a naturally occurring, non-pathogenic freshwater bacterium. Using synthetic biology, we modified it to include a nitrate-sensitive promoter linked to a red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene.

BioS is designed for freshwater environments where nitrate pollution directly threatens ecosystems, economic livelihoods, and public health. Our primary market focus is freshwater fish farms, with additional potential in agriculture and municipal water management.

BioS aligns with the needs of low-tech, budget-conscious users who require an eco-friendly, low-maintenance, and visually intuitive tool for water quality monitoring. We focus on sectors where chemical use is risky, simplicity is essential, and nitrate levels have real economic consequences.